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FC United go ten unbeaten with late show against Barwell



Two late headers from Matthew Wolfenden and Tom Davies saw FC United beat Barwell 2-0 at Gigg Lane on Saturday afternoon and keep the promotion push going strong. The visitors proved difficult to break down and ultimately the Reds had to work hard for their three points.

Having overcome AFC Fylde last weekend, United entered their first encounter with Barwell in high Christmas spirits; however the first half proved fairly uneventful. The Reds had the lion’s share of the possession, holding onto the ball well and advancing, but Barwell, defending in packs, made it difficult for FC to break through.

The opening of the second half was altogether livelier than the first, with Callum Byrne coming close to breaking the deadlock, if not for an inadvertent block by his own teammate. Barwell were then awarded the first corner of the game on 50 minutes from which came arguably the visitors’ best chance of the game as they rattled the cross bar.

The Reds made two changes in quick succession as Mike Norton came on in place of Greg Daniels and a couple of minutes later Nelson Mota entered the field of play and Astley Mulholland made way. Sandwiched between the substitutions was a free kick from Barwell’s Daniel Spencer which was flicked goal wards, luckily straight into the welcoming arms of FC’s loan keeper Ed Wilcynski making his debut.

The substitutes linked up within minutes of their introduction as Norton poked the ball away from the attentions of two Barwell defenders into the path of Mota out wide whose cross in fell too close to Liam Castle to threaten.

United were working well in getting the ball forward but had to wait until the 75th minute for an end product. Norton’s cross was cut out for the Reds’ first corner of the game on FC’s right and Brownhill found Wolfenden on the far side of the area, away from the hustle of the six yard box. Wolfenden’s looping header nestled in the smallest of gaps between Castle’s outstretched hand and the far post.

Immediately following the opener, Matthew Walwyn replaced Tom Greaves, just before fellow substitute Mota saw his fantastic effort from the edge of the area matched brilliantly by a tip over the bar from the keeper.

The referee overruled his linesman to give United a corner in what proved to be a crucial decision. Brownhill took the set piece and was the provider for another headed goal, this time from centre-half Tom Davies on 86 minutes.

In the end, FC United’s win was deserved, though hard fought and they now enter the Christmas week hoping to continue a ten game unbeaten spell.

Report by Victoria Fullen.

Website Man of the Match: Callum Byrne – proving a key figure in the centre of the park, consistently controlling and distributing the ball well.


First Posted ~ 17:38 Sat 21 Dec 2013
News ID ~ 5270
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021